I hope my work will bring you comfort. I have a passion for social support and coaching for emotional skills, but I have no medical or mental health qualifications! And when you are dealing with PPD and anxiety you really need to have an ongoing relationship with a trusted medical professional.

Need to have a Tough Conversation?

Don't just tell them, show them this video. Because normalizing PPD saves lives.

My “More Power to You” Library:

Because I wasn't born knowing, and they don't teach this stuff in school. Some of my favorite skills on my journey from PPD to Joy were found in these sources:

Amazon.com Widgets
These are affiliate links -- if you click and buy these programs or books, a small portion of your purchase will suport my work here. Win-win for the win!

Ithaca Support Meetings

The Ithaca Mothers’ Support Group:Not just for the PPD, all mothers struggling with any aspect of motherhood are welcome.

What: A bunch of moms (and some very cute babies) supporting each other.Some have been diagnosed with PPD, others haven’t quite figured out what the heck is making their lives so hard. Some of us don’t have full fledged depression, but still struggle with guilt, feelings of inadequacy, sleep deprivation, and the big difference between expectations and reality in the mother-land. Drop in, ongoing, and absolutely free. Babys and toddlers welcome.

Why: Having the support system and the skills that we develop together is helpful for all women struggling with these issues, regardless of a diagnosis, or the age of their children. Did you know that left untreated, PPD can linger until your child is a toddler or even much older? Depression, or even just that voice in your head telling you that you are not a very good mother, all respond really well to the kind of emotional workout we do in our meetings. The beauty of this emotional workout is that it actually brings ease and openness to our emotional landscape, so it doesn’t feel so much like work, and it’s very playful.

RSVP Pretty Please (RSVPPP! ;) this is important:Planning on coming to the meeting? Good! I can’t wait to meet you. Now would you please let me know to expect you?
This helps me plan the group, and is also very useful in case of last minute cancelations: for snow days, sick days, and general shoot happens situations.

How this works: You can either leave a comment below or email (ppdtojoy at gmail dot com) or tweet (@yaelsaar) to let me know.
RSVP amnesty: if you RSVP and then life gets in the way, just let me know you can’t come after all, and it’s all good.

Where:New Location: The Women’s Opportunity Center: 315 North Tioga Street, just a block away from the downtown parking garage by the Ithaca Commons. Right around the corner from the Seneca Tioga Streets bus stop,easy, inexpensive parking at nearby municipal garages as seen on this map. The room is carpeted, and even has toys and kids’ books, score!

What’s it like? When they come into our should-free zone, mothers begin to breathe easier. The meetings involve sharing, skill building (kinder self-talk for all!), tears, tissues, laughter, serious stuff and some goofiness too. We sometimes include movement, the gentle, respecting-your-limits-and-your-body kind. And you never have to do anything that doesn’t feel 100% right. And whatever you feel like doing or saying is welcome and you are never judged. Silent retreating welcome, you don’t have to say anything if you’d rather just listen and absorb. In short, you get permission to be exactly where you are, and learn how to continue doing this when you go back to your everyday life.

Do you live within driving distance of Ithaca NY?
I hope so. Cause I’d absolutely love to meet you. And if you are not ready for meetings, please don’t feel bad about it, you’ll know when you are ready.

Yael’s support group is great. She is understanding, compassionate and nonjudgmental. She’s been there, too. I love her attitude, her ability to point out what should be obvious (but we have too much going on to notice), and to infuse humor into topics that can be uncomfortable or painful. I appreciate Yael’s approach, especially the way she normalizes our motherhood struggles. It’s refreshing to be able to say to someone “I’m having a bad day” and for them to understand, to know when you’re just venting, and when you’re looking for suggestions. Yael’s PPD to Joy support group offers a caring community to women at times of need.~ Tina (6yo boy and 4yo girl), Ithaca, NY.

I wasn’t exactly depressed, so I wasn’t sure I should come to the Postpartum Depression support group. But I was so sad and feeling guilty about how little patience I had for my three-year old in the wake of having a second child. I’m so glad I came! Yael’s suggestions helped me untangle my feelings and refine my expectations in a tender and yet frank way. She went above and beyond to helping me realize the whole weight wasn’t on my shoulders and I felt like I truly was able to breathe for the first time in weeks. If you feel guilty or sad, please don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. Get support before it gets bad. Often, that’s when it does the most good.

Marissa, (3yo boy and a newborn girl), Ithaca, New York

Yael, thank you for providing this opportunity for connecting with other mothers who are having a hard time, this is so important. I find that I can be more compassionate with the other women than I am with myself. But experiencing my compassion for others helps me give compassion to myself. I was concerned about bringing my baby with me, sometimes she fusses and I was worried that it would disturb the group. You made both of us feel so at ease, it hasn’t been a problem. I wish I had access to such support after I had my first child. I am grateful to have it now.

Wonderful concerns altogether, you recently gotten a different visitor. What might a person advocate regarding article that you health, mens health, anxiety, depression, skin conditions, back problems, lower back pain, herpes on lip, herpes on men, herpes on arm, psoriasis, mild psoriasis, why am i depresses, help for depression, social anxiety, how to stop anxiety, keratosis, keratosis pilaris, psoriasis on facemanboobs, manboobz, how to get rid of manboobs, dick bigger, how to make dick bigger, muscle pain in back, lower spine pain, just produced at times earlier? Any sure?

This content is very interesting but it took me a long time to find it in google.

I found it on 14 spot, you should focus on quality backlinks building, it will help you to increase traffic.
And i know how to help you, just type in google – k2 seo tips and tricksSammy recently posted..Sammy

Simply wish to say your article is as surprising. The clwrity in your post is simply nice annd i could assume you’re an expert
on thi subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed to keep up to date with forthcoming
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Hello. My son was born May 28, 2013 and I was diagnosed with PPD within a month after he was born. I live in Syracuse but haven’t been able to find a support group in the area so I’m very much considering driving to Ithaca! I am planning on trying to get there the first Thursday on November, as long as the group is still getting together that day. Please let me know! Thank you for your time!! I appreciate it.

[…] National Crime Victims Rights Week – DFWRecognizing Bipolar Manic Depressive DisorderGlobal Youth Service Day – April 20-22, 2012Today: U.S. Reps. Quigley, Davis host forum at Adler School on suicide preventionHelp in Your Areanumerology for Joe ArpaioGroundbreaking DVD Will Help Parents of Children with Pediatric Bipolar DisorderDepression and Suicide PreventionIthaca Support Meetings […]

I am a grandma who is care-giver to my three year old grandson while
his mom and dad are at their jobs. Recently the post-partum feelings
and depression I had experienced many years ago when my daughter was
born came rushing forward. I want you to know how amazing
your PPD to Joy sharing in your letters and posts are. Much of what you
are working to help new mom’s with was not available when I was a new
mom. I want you to know how your mention of the guilt, fear of imper-
fection in parenting and the depression issues resonated with me all
these years post-partum. I am sure it is partly because I am in the
“mom” role during the active parts of a 3 yr. old’s day and behaviors
I experience with him have reawakened feelings that went undiagnosed
and untreated all those years ago.

Thank you for being there for so many people who now have someone and
someplace to turn to when they are sure they are the only one feeling
so awful at a time when every one expects them to be so happy. I am
benefiting from your hard work with your own depression and can now work on
on resolving my depression and guilt – finally! BTW I am 62 :-)

Thank you so much for letting me know how you feel. I am honored that I am able to bring you comfort.
Do come to the meetings. Bring your grandson, there are toys and a wooden slide in the meeting room.
I hope to meet you soon.

Just saying Hello! I am expecting my second daughter in three weeks.
I had some very difficult times after my first daughter was born. She’ll
be three at the end of August. I’ve been doing a lot of inner work, with
outside support, but wanted to have your info readily available and all
set up for this time around. I’ve seen your flyers and posters in lots
of places! Thanks for doing this!

Hey Lisa,
Thank you for introducing yourself. I am so happy to hear my flyers are getting into the right hands.
All the inner work you’ve done will come in handy when the second kid joins the family. I hope to see you and baby in the groups. you are welcome to bring your big girl with you as well. Much luck and love.

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Ithaca Support Meetings

The Ithaca Mothers’ Support Group:Not just for the PPD, all mothers struggling with any aspect of motherhood are welcome.

What: A bunch of moms (and some very cute babies) supporting each other.Some have been diagnosed with PPD, others haven’t quite figured out what the heck is making their lives so hard. Some of us don’t have full fledged depression, but still struggle with guilt, feelings of inadequacy, sleep deprivation, and the big difference between expectations and reality in the mother-land. Drop in, ongoing, and absolutely free. Babys and toddlers welcome.

Why: Having the support system and the skills that we develop together is helpful for all women struggling with these issues, regardless of a diagnosis, or the age of their children. Did you know that left untreated, PPD can linger until your child is a toddler or even much older? Depression, or even just that voice in your head telling you that you are not a very good mother, all respond really well to the kind of emotional workout we do in our meetings. The beauty of this emotional workout is that it actually brings ease and openness to our emotional landscape, so it doesn’t feel so much like work, and it’s very playful.

RSVP Pretty Please (RSVPPP! ;) this is important:Planning on coming to the meeting? Good! I can’t wait to meet you. Now would you please let me know to expect you?
This helps me plan the group, and is also very useful in case of last minute cancelations: for snow days, sick days, and general shoot happens situations.

How this works: You can either leave a comment below or email (ppdtojoy at gmail dot com) or tweet (@yaelsaar) to let me know.
RSVP amnesty: if you RSVP and then life gets in the way, just let me know you can’t come after all, and it’s all good.

Where:New Location: The Women’s Opportunity Center: 315 North Tioga Street, just a block away from the downtown parking garage by the Ithaca Commons. Right around the corner from the Seneca Tioga Streets bus stop,easy, inexpensive parking at nearby municipal garages as seen on this map. The room is carpeted, and even has toys and kids’ books, score!

What’s it like? When they come into our should-free zone, mothers begin to breathe easier. The meetings involve sharing, skill building (kinder self-talk for all!), tears, tissues, laughter, serious stuff and some goofiness too. We sometimes include movement, the gentle, respecting-your-limits-and-your-body kind. And you never have to do anything that doesn’t feel 100% right. And whatever you feel like doing or saying is welcome and you are never judged. Silent retreating welcome, you don’t have to say anything if you’d rather just listen and absorb. In short, you get permission to be exactly where you are, and learn how to continue doing this when you go back to your everyday life.

Do you live within driving distance of Ithaca NY?
I hope so. Cause I’d absolutely love to meet you. And if you are not ready for meetings, please don’t feel bad about it, you’ll know when you are ready.

Yael’s support group is great. She is understanding, compassionate and nonjudgmental. She’s been there, too. I love her attitude, her ability to point out what should be obvious (but we have too much going on to notice), and to infuse humor into topics that can be uncomfortable or painful. I appreciate Yael’s approach, especially the way she normalizes our motherhood struggles. It’s refreshing to be able to say to someone “I’m having a bad day” and for them to understand, to know when you’re just venting, and when you’re looking for suggestions. Yael’s PPD to Joy support group offers a caring community to women at times of need.~ Tina (6yo boy and 4yo girl), Ithaca, NY.

I wasn’t exactly depressed, so I wasn’t sure I should come to the Postpartum Depression support group. But I was so sad and feeling guilty about how little patience I had for my three-year old in the wake of having a second child. I’m so glad I came! Yael’s suggestions helped me untangle my feelings and refine my expectations in a tender and yet frank way. She went above and beyond to helping me realize the whole weight wasn’t on my shoulders and I felt like I truly was able to breathe for the first time in weeks. If you feel guilty or sad, please don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. Get support before it gets bad. Often, that’s when it does the most good.

Marissa, (3yo boy and a newborn girl), Ithaca, New York

Yael, thank you for providing this opportunity for connecting with other mothers who are having a hard time, this is so important. I find that I can be more compassionate with the other women than I am with myself. But experiencing my compassion for others helps me give compassion to myself. I was concerned about bringing my baby with me, sometimes she fusses and I was worried that it would disturb the group. You made both of us feel so at ease, it hasn’t been a problem. I wish I had access to such support after I had my first child. I am grateful to have it now.

Wonderful concerns altogether, you recently gotten a different visitor. What might a person advocate regarding article that you health, mens health, anxiety, depression, skin conditions, back problems, lower back pain, herpes on lip, herpes on men, herpes on arm, psoriasis, mild psoriasis, why am i depresses, help for depression, social anxiety, how to stop anxiety, keratosis, keratosis pilaris, psoriasis on facemanboobs, manboobz, how to get rid of manboobs, dick bigger, how to make dick bigger, muscle pain in back, lower spine pain, just produced at times earlier? Any sure?

This content is very interesting but it took me a long time to find it in google.

I found it on 14 spot, you should focus on quality backlinks building, it will help you to increase traffic.
And i know how to help you, just type in google – k2 seo tips and tricksSammy recently posted..Sammy

Simply wish to say your article is as surprising. The clwrity in your post is simply nice annd i could assume you’re an expert
on thi subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed to keep up to date with forthcoming
post. Thanks a million and please kewep up tthe gratifying work.info on depression recently posted..info on depression

Hello. My son was born May 28, 2013 and I was diagnosed with PPD within a month after he was born. I live in Syracuse but haven’t been able to find a support group in the area so I’m very much considering driving to Ithaca! I am planning on trying to get there the first Thursday on November, as long as the group is still getting together that day. Please let me know! Thank you for your time!! I appreciate it.

[…] National Crime Victims Rights Week – DFWRecognizing Bipolar Manic Depressive DisorderGlobal Youth Service Day – April 20-22, 2012Today: U.S. Reps. Quigley, Davis host forum at Adler School on suicide preventionHelp in Your Areanumerology for Joe ArpaioGroundbreaking DVD Will Help Parents of Children with Pediatric Bipolar DisorderDepression and Suicide PreventionIthaca Support Meetings […]

I am a grandma who is care-giver to my three year old grandson while
his mom and dad are at their jobs. Recently the post-partum feelings
and depression I had experienced many years ago when my daughter was
born came rushing forward. I want you to know how amazing
your PPD to Joy sharing in your letters and posts are. Much of what you
are working to help new mom’s with was not available when I was a new
mom. I want you to know how your mention of the guilt, fear of imper-
fection in parenting and the depression issues resonated with me all
these years post-partum. I am sure it is partly because I am in the
“mom” role during the active parts of a 3 yr. old’s day and behaviors
I experience with him have reawakened feelings that went undiagnosed
and untreated all those years ago.

Thank you for being there for so many people who now have someone and
someplace to turn to when they are sure they are the only one feeling
so awful at a time when every one expects them to be so happy. I am
benefiting from your hard work with your own depression and can now work on
on resolving my depression and guilt – finally! BTW I am 62 :-)

Thank you so much for letting me know how you feel. I am honored that I am able to bring you comfort.
Do come to the meetings. Bring your grandson, there are toys and a wooden slide in the meeting room.
I hope to meet you soon.

Just saying Hello! I am expecting my second daughter in three weeks.
I had some very difficult times after my first daughter was born. She’ll
be three at the end of August. I’ve been doing a lot of inner work, with
outside support, but wanted to have your info readily available and all
set up for this time around. I’ve seen your flyers and posters in lots
of places! Thanks for doing this!

Hey Lisa,
Thank you for introducing yourself. I am so happy to hear my flyers are getting into the right hands.
All the inner work you’ve done will come in handy when the second kid joins the family. I hope to see you and baby in the groups. you are welcome to bring your big girl with you as well. Much luck and love.

This is a free support group for moms of kids of any age.
No official diagnosis required. If you are struggling while mothering, you are not alone. Please join us.
Monthly meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 12:30-1:30.
Dates sometimes change,
please check the events calendar.Location: The Women's Opportunity Center: 315 North Tioga Street, one block from the downtown parking garage by the Ithaca Commons.
More info here. Babies, toddlers, and brown bag lunches are all welcome.

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ESL Disclaimer

I’m a horrible capitaliser of letters, and a poor speller of words. i am working on the spelling thing, but kind of gave up on capitalisation. My first language (Hebrew) doesn’t have upper or lower case letters, and if after 18 years of living in English I still don’t have it down it’s probably never going to happen. If this bothers you, I apologize. But if i don’t choose my battles, i’d be fighting much too often, and then there wouldn’t be any blog posts, like, ever, and what fun would that be?